A Conservative aide who claims he wrote the allegedly plagiarized March 2003 speech for Stephen Harper that made the case for joining the war in Iraq has quit.
Liberal MP Bob Rae
revealed the striking similarities between the then-Opposition Leader's address and one delivered by Australian Prime Minister John Howard just two days earlier. He played a video that shows the two politicians on split screen reciting, in many parts, the exact same words.
"Possession of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by terrorists would constitute a direct, undeniable and lethal threat to Australia and its people," Howard said in his speech on March 18, 2003, in a reference to the threat of weapons of mass destruction.
"Possession of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by terrorists would constitute a direct, undeniable and lethal threat to the world, including to Canada and its people," Harper said two days later in the House of Commons.
After a Conservative party spokesman played down the issue, claiming a speech delivered five years ago is no longer relevant, campaign worker Owen Lippert announced his resignation Tuesday, claiming he ripped off sections of Howard's speech as he struggled to meet a deadline to write Harper's address.
"Neither my superiors in the office of the leader of the Opposition nor the leader of the Opposition was aware that I had done so," Lippert said in a statement.
"I apologize to all involved and have resigned my position from the Conservative campaign."
Lippert also denied suggestions the speech was actually penned by an American and distributed to the two leaders.
Rae blasted Harper, claiming this discovery has tarnished his credibility on the world stage.
"This is a guy who, on an issue of critical importance to Canada, got it completely wrong," Rae said.
"He got it wrong on weapons of mass destruction, he got it wrong on the substance... he was dismissive of Mr. Chretien's (decision to keep Canadian troops out of Iraq), but Mr. Chretien's judgment was the right judgment."
The story made headlines around the world Wednesday, including in Australian papers, and was featured on the BBC's website.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion also took a shot at Harper.
"He's unable to choose his own words, he chose the words of (U.S. President George W. Bush's) coalition of the willing," he said.